Coin actuated electrical switch



Feb. 8, 1949. H. B. vRooM' com 'Ac-rmmb Emcwnm SWITCH Filed bot. 11,1946 MAST/LA r/o/v' Patented Feb. 8,1949

COIN ACTUATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH Harold B. Vroom, Hartford, Comm,assixnor Veeder-Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a

corporation of Connecticut Application October 11, 1946, Serial No.702,675

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a coin actuatable. electrical switch,and more particularly to a device adapted to temporarily close anelectrical circuit when a coin is deposited therein, the same beingparticularly adapted for use with associated devices such as vending ordispensing machines.

As representative of the many installations to which the presentinvention relates, reference may be had to vending or dispensingmachines of the type in which the machine operates automatically, when acustomer deposits a proper coin in a receptacle or control box, todeliver a suitable unit or quantity of merchandise which is purchased bythe customer upon the insertion of the proper coin. The function of thedevice of the present invention is to temporarily close an electricalcircuit when the proper coin is deposited therein, thereby initiatingthe operation of the associated apparatus, for example, an automaticbeverage dispensing apparatus, which thereafter automatically dispensesthe merchandise purchased.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device fortemporarily closing an electrical circuit of the type which is actuatedby dropping a suitable coin therethrough, said device being arranged tobe actuated by the weight of the coin and to operate efliciently and inan improved manner.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide such a coinactuated electrical switch device in which the actuated elements are sofreely movable as to be readily actuatable by the weight of the coin butwhich, at the same time, are less susceptible to tampering or accidentalactuation, particularly insofar as the device cannot be actuated merelyby bumping or shaking the switch supporting elements, this beingaccomplished without the use of complicated damper mechanisms or strongsprings etc, which normally would interfere with the smooth and de- 2and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructionhereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will beindicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure l is a front view of the assembled deviceconstructed in accordance with the invent on;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same device;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is anenlarged perspective view of one of the electrical contactelements utilized in the device.

Referring to the drawing, the device constructed in accordance with theinvention, which is adapted to temporarily close, an electrical circuitupon the deposit of a suitable coin, is provided in the embodiment shownwith a base or back plate l0 provided with a pair of lugs ll containingopenings l2 by means of which thedevice may be fastened to a support.For convenience, such support may be a side wall of the vending ordispensing apparatus (not shown) with which the device is to be used.

Fixed to the front of the base plate I0, as, for example, by spotwelding, is a front plate I3 having a central, elongated, struck-outportion l4 defining with the back plate Ill an elongateddownwardly-extending coin passageway l5 of sufficient size to receive acoin of the denomination desired. As will be apparent from the drawing,the coin is received in said passageway parallel to the front and backplates with the edges of the coin between the sides 8 and 9 of thepassageway and will fall by gravity therethrough. The front plate l3generally conforms to the outline of the back plate Ill, extendingdownwardly at one side thereof to form a V-shaped slot 1 with pendableactuation of the device by a proper parts which will functioneiiiciently without breakdown over long periods of time.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements a foreshortened leg 6. A lip ISA is provided tofacilitate the insertion of a coin into the passagewardly extendingflexible arms I! and it which' at their upper ends are sandwichedbetween insulating members l9, said arms and insulating members beingassembled together by a plurality of rivets 20. The central insulatingmember IQ of the assembly is secured to the from,

' portion thereof.

am nes plate I! through insulating member I! by a plurality of rivets26.

The flexible arm I! n in the form of a flexible, flat, elongated stripof metal having a contact point or area 2i at its lower end and having aconnecting post or nib 22 adjacent its upper end. The flexible arm I!has a similar contact point or area 23 adapted to be moved against thecontact area 2| of arm II when the arms are flexed together, therebyclosing an electric circuit. The arm l8 also has a similar connecting:post or nib 26 at its upper end.

The lower extremity of the arm I2 is provided with a right angleextension 25 on which is supported at the end thereof a rearwardlydisposed arcuate cam surface 28 which is positioned within the coinpassageway l6 and spaced from the side 9 thereof. The positioning of thecam surface 26 within the passageway I is such that a coin droppeddownwardly through the passageway I! must necessarily encounter said camsurface and move it outwardly from the side 9 thereby moving the switcharm l8 inwardly toward the switch arm l1, thereby closing the electriccircuit. The cam surface 26 is spaced from the side 9 of the passagewayI5 a proper distance such that a coin passing between the side 9 of thepassageway and the cam surface 26 will be guided by the side 9 to insurethat the arm l8 will be moved a sufiicient distance to cause theelectrical circuit to close as described above. In order that the weightof the coin will be sufficient to pivot the switch arm l8 into contactwith switch arm l1, it is an advantage of the invention that the springaction of the arm l8 may be made very light without, at the same time,running the risk of having the arm susceptible to being moved to circuitclosing position byaccidental or deliberate bumping or shaking of thedevice. The means for accomplishing this will be described more fullyhereinafter.

As the arm 18 is pivoted away from the side 9, r

the coin is permitted to fall through, i.e. to ride off the lower end ofthe cam surface, from whence it may drop into a suitable receptacle (notshown in the drawing). The cut-off portion of the front plate I3, i.e.the space below the leg 8, permits free movement of the arm l8 includingits right angle extension 25 and the cam surface 26 so that there is nointerference with the switching action of the device.

For preventing accidental or deliberate closing of the easily flexedswitch elements without the deposit of a proper coin, there is pivotallysupported intermediate the ends of and between the switch arms 51 and 18a depending insulating plate 21 which, in the specific embodiment shown,is generally shaped like the sector of a circle, except for a notch 28in the lower rear The plate 21 is sufficiently light and freely mountedso that it also can be readily pivoted by the weight of a coin. Theinsulating plate 21 is preferably suspended adjacent its upper apex by apin 29 supported in the insulating members IS. The arms l1 and I 8 areprovided with sufficiently large openings 3i through which the pin 29may extend without making electrical contact therewith.

The switch arms l1 and I8 are adjusted so that in their normal at restposition the insulating plate 21 will freely pass therebetween. Theinsulating plate 21, by reason of its upper edge 32, provides a cammingsurface centrally located in the passageway l5 intermediate the sides 8and 9 thereof. The back plate Ill contains a slot 33 for receiving theinsulating plate 21, the upper edge of said slot acting as a back stopfor the insulating plate 21 when the same is pivoted. By reason of thecamming surface or edge 32 located within the coin passageway I, a coindropped through the passageway l6 must necessarily pivot the insulatingplate 21 outwardly from the device to such an extent that the notch 28clears the contact areas 2| and 23, thus permitting the contact arms l1and 18 to be flexed together to close the electrical circuit. As theinsulating plate never completely leaves the space between the arms l1and I8, there can be no misalignment of the 'movable parts so as tocause malfunctioning of the device.

The pivoting action of the insulating plate 21 and the camming of thearm IS in the direction of the arm H are sequential operations, which isto say, the insulating plate 21 is first moved to open position andthereafter the contact points 2i and 23 are brought together. Theattempted return of the insulating plate 21 to original position bygravity is prevented so long as the coin is still riding on the camsurface 26 of the arm l8, but as soon as the coin rides off the end ofthe cam surface 26 and the switch arm 18 returns to original position,the insulating plate 21 readily falls between the contact areas 2i and23.

By reason of the insulating plate 21, as mentioned heretofore, theswitch closing elements may be very lightly biased so that the circuitcan be readily closed by the weight of a coin and yet these elements areguarded by the insulatin plate 21 so that it is impossible for someoneto cause the switch to close in any way except by depositing a coin intothe passageway l5. It will be apparent that the movement of the switcharms l1 and i8 and the movement of the insulating plate 21 are at aright angle to each other so that a jar or jolt which is so directed asto pivot the insulating plate 21 from between the switch arms l1 and I8would be improperly directed to cause the switch arms l1 and I8 to bemoved together. Conversely, a force tending to cause the switch arms l1and iii to be moved together would be improperly directed for affectingthe insulating plate 21. Accordingly, the switch has been madetamperproof in a relatively simple and easily constructed manner.

The device is positive in action and not susceptible to malfunctioninbecause the interlocking and circuit closing steps are sequential inoperation and all of the actuated elements can be made sufilcientlylight or lightly biased so as to be readily actuated by the weight of acoin. Moreover, the device is constructed of a relatively few movableparts and is compact in design whereby a device of economicalmanufacture and great utility is provided.-

In light of the above disclosure, it will be apparent that one skilledin the art'may modify the device within the scope of the invention, andall such modifications and variations are intended to be included withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coin actuatable electric switch. comprising a downwardly extendingcoin passageway, electric circuit closing means comprising a movablemember having a contact surface adapted tobe moved into circuit closingposition by the weight of a coin, a movable insulating member normallycovering said surface and adapted to be moved away from surface by theweight of acoin, and means on said members "extending into saidpassageway for causing sequential operation of said members by a coindropped through said passageway.

2. A coin actuatable electric switch comprising a downwardly extendingcoin passageway. electric circuit closing means comprising a flexiblearm having a contact surface and adapted to be fiexed' into circuitclosing positlon by the weight of a coin, an insulating member pivotallysupported for normally covering said contact surface and adapted to bemoved away from the contact surface by the weight of a coin and means onsaid members extenda ing into said passageway for causing sequentialoperation of said members by a coin dropped through said passageway.

3. A coin actuatable electrical switch comprising a depending armhaving-a contact surface for closing an electric circuit, said arm beingbiased toward circuit open position and being suiilciently lightlybiased to be readily moved to circuit closing position by the weight ofa coin,

and a depending member swingable at substancam surface extending intothe coin passageway,

said arm being normally in circuit open position and sufficientlyflexible to permit closing of the circuit by the weight of a coindropped on said cam surface, a depending insulating member having a camsurface extending into the coin passageway above said first named camsurface,

said insulating-member normally covering said electric contact surfaceand being sufilciently light in weightto be pivoted away from the con-'tact surface by the weight of a coin dropped on its cam surface.-

5'. A coin actuatable electrical switch compris ing a pair of flexiblearms normally spaced apart and having areas arranged to'form anelectrical contact therebetween, a pivotally mounted insulating memberdepending between said areas, a

coin passageway, a cam surface on said insulat ing member extending intosaid passageway and arranged to cause the insulating member to pivotfrom between said areas when a coin is passed through said-passagewa anda cam surface on one of said arms extending into said passageway andarranged to cause said arm to be flexedto bring said areas together,said cam surfaces being disposed for sequential actuation by the coin.

6. A coin actuatable electrical switch comprising a coin passagewayhaving vertically disposed sides, a pair of depending flexible armsnormally spaced apart and having contacting areas at their lower endsarranged to form an electrical contact therebetween, one of said armshaving an extension forming a cam surface within, said passagewaywhereby a coin dropped through said passageway will move said camsurface away from one side of thepssageway thereby flexing said arm tobring said contacting areas together,

, and a pivotally mounted fiat insulating member depending between saidareas having an inclined edge extending into said passageway above'saidcam surface and intermediate the sides of the passageway whereby a coindropped through said passageway will pivot said member outwardly beforecoming into contact with the first named cam surface, said insulatingmember having a notched portion adapted to clear the contacting areaswhen the member is pivoted outwardly by a coin.

HAROLD B. VROOM.

No references cited.

